Plymouth could get another new cinema and two hotels as part of a £65million redevelopment of the Pavilions site.

Businessman James Brent, director of the holding company with owns the city’s largest concert space, said he has been approached by hotel and cinema companies eyeing the opportunity to build on part of the 6.5-acre Millbay lot.

But Mr Brent, also Plymouth Argyle chairman, stressed the cinema wouldn’t be another multiplex – and wouldn’t compete with the £48million Cineworld complex now under construction at Bretonside.

The Pavilions site is due to be redeveloped in a £65m scheme

Instead he envisages an “arthouse” type affair, and said: “We have had an approach for a cinema, but not a multiplex, a cinema that would tend to have cultural showings.

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Mr Brent said hotel companies were interested too, and said: “We have had approaches from hotel operators and cinema groups interested in the (entire) site.

But any development on the Western Approach side of the leisure complex wouldn’t be able to take place until after Mr Brent has built a new ice rink at Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park ground.

The Pavilions ice rink and swimming pool are due to be demolished (Image: Penny Cross)

With a detailed planning application for a new ice arena being considered by councillors on December 14, the Pavilions ice and adjoining swimming pool can’t be demolished until a Home Park rink is complete.

Mr Brent said that although contractors were already being chosen, it will take time to build the rink and it is therefore more likely he will develop the Millbay side of the Pavilions site first.

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This piece of land, currently covered by a car park, is set to form one side of the much vaunted Boulevard, planned to run from the Quadrant Quay area of Millbay and linking with a redeveloped Colin Campbell Court.

Mr Brent said a hotel could sit on that land, along with bars and restaurants and housing too.

How Millbay Boulevard could look facing east (Image: Plymouth City Council)

The entire site must have flats, Plymouth City Council has told Mr Brent, and he said the “suggestion” is for 350 apartments.

He said some of that part of the site could even be developed in time for 2020 when Plymouth will be the centre of Mayflower 400 celebrations.

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“We have been in talks with contractors to start work fairly soon after the granting of planning permission,” Mr Brent said. “If we get planning consent before Christmas we can start work at Home Park in the first quarter of 2018.

“After the grandstand we could get the ice built by mid-2019.

“We want to crack on with Home Park and the ice rink as soon as possible.”

The Pavilions music arena will be retained but reconfigured

The music arena will remain, Mr Brent stressed, but will be reconfigured to face the Boulevard, when it is built.

Mr Brent acquired the Pavilions site in 2012.

At that time the operation was making a loss of about £1.7million a year and Mr Brent said the venue was propped up via previous owner Plymouth City Council’s grant funding.

But he said the Pavilions now turns in a “small” profit.

He said this came from a “better usage of the facility” and “smart” ideas from the management, such as VIP offers and even insurance coverage for people unable to attend gigs they’d already paid for.